him terribly, he was called on to split some kindlings.

"This instant!--I won't wait a minute!" Kitty said in a provokingly
commanding tone; and Tip went at it sullenly, saying, with every spiteful
drive of his axe through the pine board which he had picked up, "It's no
use; I _cant_ do that sum, and I ain't going to try. I don't know
anything, and never will. I've done it over fifty times, and twisted it
every way I can think of. There's no sense to it, any way,--sixteen
sheep _stood him in_ two dollars apiece. What does that mean, I'd like to
know? He had forty sheep and twenty-five cows. I know it all by heart;
but I can't do it, and that's the whole of it. I wish his sheep had
choked to death, and his old cows run away, before I ever heard of them.
I'll go over it just once more." (Tip was back by the kitchen window now,
with his slate and book.) "Let's see: twenty-five cows at thirty-four
dollars apiece;" and he worked away in nervous haste, until he came to
"stood him in." If he only _could_ find out what that meant, he felt sure
he could do it. If he had somebody to help him; but he hadn't. There
would be no time after he went to school before the class was called.

Just then he thought of his father; he used to be a carpenter before he
was sick, and he used to make a great many figures sometimes on smooth
boards. Tip remembered it was just possible that he might know something
about the sum. Suppose he should ask him?

He started up suddenly, and went towards the bedroom door.

"Father," he said softly, "can't you tell me what 'stood him in' means?"

The sick man turned himself on his pillow, and looked wonderingly at Tip.